When the Pirates acquired Zach Thompson as part of the Jacob Stallings trade last winter, a Pirates source told DK Pittsburgh Sports that, internally, they thought he was a big-league starter. A league source was more skeptic, viewing him as a No. 5 or a reliever.
So far this season, he has shown some decent batted ball and whiff peripherals, but has not posted the necessary results as a starter, being the shakiest member of what is already a very shaky rotation. That includes allowing four runs over 4 1/3 innings Friday, taking another loss in a 7-3 Pirates loss to the Padres at PNC Park.